Fallen Mighty
by TimeShard13
Summary: The Masons are with the 2nd mass but Ben was never harnessed. Hal was presumed dead while on a mission gone wrong, except he isn't. I thought there should be more Hal gets harnessed fics so i wrote one. Jimmy is still alive and i took some liberty with the storyline. Rated T just cuz. Its my first FS fic so please R and R :)
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first FS fan fic so be sure to let me know how i'm doing and i apologize ahead of time for any mistakes. I'd love some advice and, here's chapter one!**

To the right, To the left  
We will fight to the death!  
To the edge of the earth  
It's a brave new world  
From the last to the first

-This is War by Thirty Seconds to Mars

Hal walked into the school's library. It was the only other place he could think of to find his two younger brothers, and sure enough they were sitting together on the floor. Ben held a book in his hands and looked as if he had been reading aloud to Mat.

"What are you two up to, Dad's looking for you." he called them.

They both stood. "It's called reading. You should really try it some time Hal." Ben sounded a bit irritated at having been interrupted.

"Yeah well, most of us don't have time for books. Its called fighting skitters Ben, you should really try it some time."

Ben glared and walked out of the room, Mat in tow. Skitter fighting was a sore topic for him. Ben should have been out there with Jimmy and the others his age, but he just wasn't up to it and every one knew. Sighing, Hal followed them.

Tom Mason was waiting for his three sons in the make shift hospital room. With no patients and Anne on a lunch break, they had the place to themselves.

Tom drew a deep breath and Hal saw Ben tense. "Maggie and Hal went scouting for anywhere that might have medical supplies seeing as the second mass is desperately in need of then. There's a nursing home just north of here, a hospital to the east, and a small practice of some sort to the south. Captain Weaver has decided to send out search parties to bring back whatever they can find. The only problem is that skitters have been sighted around the area." He hesitated for a second and Hal knew his dad didn't want to worry Ben and Mat any more than necessary.

"You aren't-" Ben began but Tom cut him off.

"Yes Ben, Hal and I are part of the teams that are going. Trust me," He said looking at the younger boys' dismayed faces, "I don't want to leave any more than you want me to, but this mission is absolutely vital. Anne needs those supplies and this may be our only chance, understand?"

Hal watched as Mat nodded first, then Ben, more reluctantly. I felt a twinge of what my father must be feeling. The two of them were young, too young. Ben couldn't watch out for Mat on his own and neither of them should have to be going through this. Ha, he thought bitterly, none of us should have to be going through any of this. He sighed, but they were here and it was happening. The only thing they could do was make the best of it.

"Good" Tom continued. "We'll be back safe and sound in just a few days. It shouldn't take any longer than that."

"Promise?" Mat said, stepping forward to hug his dad.

"Yeah," He said, "I promise."

"You too Hal," Mat continued.

Hal blinked once in surprise before answering. "Of course Mattie, I promise."

Releasing Mat, Tom embraced his middle child. Hal could tell that both of them were trying hard not to get too upset. He walked past Ben and put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't get lost in a book Benji." He said before continuing out the door.

It was late after noon by the time everyone was gathered around Captain Weaver and ready to move out. They stood dressed for the mission, weapons slung over their shoulders. Hal and Tom were the last ones to arrive and after giving Tom a nod, Weaver began.

"Now that everyone's here, I'm gonna split you up into three groups, which means there's one group for each building. Tom, your group will get the nursing home. My group will be going for the practice, which is the farthest away, and Hal, your group is going to search the hospital to see what hasn't already been taken. Look for any storage compartments or vehicles that may have been transporting supplies. Try the ambulances as well. This goes for all of you."

Tom looked as if he were about to argue and Hal knew he wanted to be in the same group as his son. Hal just nodded as Weaver stopped for a second to look around. "Good. We leave immediately. You'll have one day to scout and retrieve. Meet back here no later than this time tomorrow."

As we filed out of the room, Tom threw his son a long look. Hal did his best to give an reassuring smile, but wasn't sure it turned out that way.

Hal met with his small group outside of the school. Weaver didn't want them to draw any attention to themselves so the team consisted of only three members, Maggie, Dai, and himself. Hal wasn't used to leading missions but it was clear that Maggie and Dai trusted him, he only hoped he didn't screw any thing up too badly.

"We'll have to hurry if we want to get there in time to do some scouting before it gets dark." He began, but was interrupted by Maggie.

"So let's skip the pep talk, which you're horrible at, and just get a move on." Dai snorted but Hal just started walking.

* * *

It had taken them close to two hours to walk to the hospital, but Captain Weaver's team had needed the bikes to reach the practice which was even farther away. From a hidden position behind a car flipped on its side, Hal and his team were able to watch the front and side doors to the hospital. No skitters, mechs, or anything unusual had been sighted.

Turning to Maggie and Dai, Hal asked, "You ready?" Their only response was a small nod.

As one, the small group stood and began to slink towards the side entrance. Once inside the small, rather empty room, they paused, listening.

"All clear." Dai whispered.

"Okay," Hal said. "We need to split up. Be careful and if you see a skitter, get help, don't try to fight it alone. Make it quick and we'll meet up down the road a ways."

"Make sure to take your own advice," Maggie said with a hint of sarcasm. "I'd hate to have to come and find you."

Hal just shook his head as he motioned for his friends to move out. He turned down the left hall while Dai and Maggie took the right. He walked quietly for a few minutes, stopping to peer into abandoned hospital rooms filled with an array of beds, dead flowers and personal belongings. The only sound was the pounding of his heart.

Hal cursed silently as he past another supply closet that had been picked clean weeks ago. He was passing a set of stairs when he froze. Underneath them was a small door, painted the same color as the wall. Maybe, he thought, if no had noticed it, it might have something usable.

He approached it carefully, pulling open the old door. "Yes." Hal whispered. There was just enough light to see that he had found what they were looking for. The small bottles and containers were probably long past their expiration date, but with any luck, Anne would be able to find a use for them.

Hal pulled the small pack off of his back and began filling it with as much of the medical supplies as he could. Not all of them fit, but he could go see how Dai and Maggie were doing. If they hadn't found anything better, their packs would still be empty.

Just then the sound of rapid gun fire echoed down the halls. "Dammit." Hal cursed under his breath. Why couldn't they ever catch a break? He slung his pack over his shoulders and readied his gun. He walked as quickly and quietly as he could down the long hallway.

As Hal neared where Dai and Maggie had split off he began to hear sounds of a muffled fight. He visibly flinched as another round of gunshots went off. He heard a grunt, from Dai, and a curse, from Maggie. Breaking into a run, Hal looked from side to side, trying to find where the fight was. As he turned a corner he heard an inhuman screech that could only have come from a skitter. Skidding to a halt, Hal stared into what used to be a cafeteria. The chairs and tables were overturned, bullets had pierced holes in the back wall, and several window were shattered.

Hal clenched his jaw as he saw not one but three skitters standing in the center of the large room. Backed against a wall were Maggie and Dai. The skitters had them cornered and Hal groaned as he saw that only Maggie had a gun. More than that, he realized, Dai was slumped against Maggie's shoulder, an ugly gash pouring blood down his face.

Hal raised his gun, aiming for a skitters head. The creature fell to the ground, screeching. Maggie looked at him, but so did the two remaining skitters. They both charged towards him. He shat at the first one and it fell, injured but not deathly so. Hal dodged around the second, trying to get closer to Maggie and the semi-conscious Dai.

Hal slung Dai's other arm over his shoulder and helped Maggie move closer to the cafeteria's back entrance. They had little time though, as the injured skitter struggled stand and the other moved closer.

"Maggie," Hal hissed. "Take Dai and get out of here. I'll cover you."

He shot at the still advancing skitter, but his aim was off because of Dai. "Take these and go!" Hal shouted thrusting the bag of medical supplies at Maggie. She opened her mouth to argue but Hal ducked out from under Dai's arm and pulled open the door.

"Move!" He yelled, worried by the skitters' unhurried advance. "I'll meet up with you. Maggie! You've got to get Dai out of here now!"

Maggie glared at him angrily. "Damn you Hal. I'll get Dai to safety but don't think I'm just leaving you here. Can't let you have all the fun." She trailed off, grumbling, before backing out of the door as fast as possible while dragging most of Dai's weight.

Hal cast his partner one last glance before turning his attention back to the skitters who were only a few yards I front of him. He drew a deep breath and began firing off a round of shots. The uninjured skitter let out a snarl of pain. It leaped forward, forcing Hal to dodge to the left. He cursed his mistake as he realized that his back was now to a wall. He knew he needed to reach one of the two doors, but was forced to wait for the right opportunity.

Hal was closest to the front door, which was the side where the more severely injured skitter was. Deciding this was his best chance, he aimed his weapon at the skitter, hoping he could kill it before the other one had a chance to make its move.

Bullets shot past the creatures head, but one must have stuck it because it fell to the ground, writhing for a second before falling still. Hal sprinted to the door as fast as his feet could carry him. Behind he could hear the remaining skitter sliding on the linoleum flooring. His smirk vanished immediately as he heard what could only be mechs approaching from outside somewhere.

Hal cursed, praying that Maggie had gotten somewhere safe with Dai by now. He doubted they would have had much time, even though the back door had led directly outside.

Hal rounded a corner and was able to spot an exit at the end of the long corridor. It was just then that the skitter caught up with him. As it landed directly on top of him, Hal heard a loud sound. The world came crashing down around him and he lost consciousness.

**Please R and R, I'll update ASAP. I should have plenty of time to write cuz school's canceled for tomorrow ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, i'm so amazed! I felt like writing and managed to get a second chapter finished already! This is a Maggie chapter but other characters will be shown up eventually. I hope you all like it. **

I've found a reason to show

A side of me you didn't know

A reason for all that I do

And the reason is you

-The Reason by Hoobastank

Chapter 2 Maggie

Maggie heaved Dai down the couple of steps leading out of the hospital. Once down, she glanced around for the road Hal had told them to meet at earlier. She saw it with relief, just to the left. Dragging Dai was difficult but doable.

Maggie had been investigating an, empty, storage closet when Dai had yelled out. She had hurried towards his voice as fast as she could. When she had reached him, he'd been collapsed on a table. The skitters must have taken him by surprised. She was just grateful that they hadn't dealt him any more life threatening injuries.

When Maggie could carry Dai no farther, she lowered him to the ground, carefully, behind an abandoned minivan. She had to sit for a minute to get her breath back, but stood as soon as she could. It was then that she remembered the gash in her arm. Maggie tore off the ragged sleeve of her shirt and tied what remained of it as best she could around the long cut. Then, not caring if she was seen, Maggie sprinted to the door she had left through with Dai.

She had barely left her cover when the sounds of way too many mechs caught her attention. Maggie saw them right after she heard them. At least a dozen of the things were marching down a road that ran perpendicular to her own. Without thinking, Maggie leapt behind one of the many cars that lined the street.

As much as she wanted to reach the hospital and find Hal, she knew that getting herself found by the mechs would help no one. They were approaching the hospital at a rapid pace, but to her surprise every last one of them halted in a line when they had almost reached it.

As one, they targeted the building and let out a series of long shots. At the same time, Maggie could hear the same thing happening from all directions. The building began to crumble. Within seconds the second floor was falling in on the first. Maggie could only stare in shock as the mechs halted without warning and began marching away.

Only when they were out of sight did she shake herself out of her daze. Panting heavily, Maggie ran towards the decimated hospital. Only a portion of one wing was left even slightly in tact. She ran in through the crooked doorway.

"Hal!" She called but the sound was muffled by the clouds of dust. She coughed but continued forward. She had gone only a few paces before she was met by a slope of rubble.

Maggie was about to try elsewhere when something caught her attention. Poking out of the concrete and plaster was a hand with long green fingers. "Hal!" She called again, hoping that he had some how made it out. If the skitter was here, then he must be close. But to her disappointment, though not her surprise, there came no answer. Maggie half heartedly dug in a few places but gave up when it turned out to be hopeless.

Instead, she went outside. Maggie looked all around the door, hoping desperately that Hal was somewhere in the grass. Again, her search was in vain. Looking up, she saw that the sun was just above the tree line.

Digging her nails into her palms, Maggie ran towards what remained of the cafeteria. She struggled to pry open the heavy metal door but it was crumpled in places and wouldn't budge. She stepped back, shaking slightly. Maggie took a deep breath and, glaring at the ruined hospital, knew she couldn't give up just yet. Hal was a survivor, he didn't just die.

The sky was pitch black by the time Maggie finally collapsed onto the rock strew lawn. Her vision grew fuzzy as exhaustion overtook her. Unable to resist, Maggie's head rolled on her shoulder's and she slipped into sleep.

* * *

Maggie awoke with a muffled shout. Blearily, she looked around and was dismayed to see that the sun was already well above the horizon. She hissed as pain tingled through her fingers. Standing, she saw that they were covered in blood and bunches of small cuts and scrapes from where she had pulled at the rubbled.

Maggie took a fumbling step forward, but halted, remembering Dai. Hating herself, she turned away from the wreck in front of her. She knew there was nothing more she could do for Hal, if he was alive he'd head back to the school.

And he had to be alive. She hadn't had a chance to say goodbye. She hadn't had a chance to really talk with him. She hadn't even told him…

Maggie was sore all over and couldn't bring herself to walk any faster than a slow trudge even though she knew the time Weaver had told them to meet was quickly approaching.

She was surprised to see that Dai was still unconscious when she reached him. Maggie bent down to inspect the cut over his eye. It wasn't very deep, but a dark bruise was spreading around it. Putting a hand to the man's forehead, she was worried to feel it hotter than it should have been.

"Come on," Maggie muttered to her self. "Let's get you up."

She slung the pack of medical supplies over her shoulder. If she had known anything at all about medicine, she might have been able to help Dai, but as the bleeding had already stopped there wasn't much she could do. It would be better to just get him back to Anne as fast as possible.

After a few tries, Maggie knew she realized there was no way she would be able to carry her friend any kind of distance. Looking around, she saw that some of the houses' garage doors were opened. In the third, she found an old four wheeler which still worked. Sighing in relief, Maggie drove it to where Dai was lying. It took some effort, but eventually he was seated behind her. She draped his arms around her neck to try and prevent him from falling off.

Carefully, Maggie began driving down the street.

After about forty-five minutes of riding, Maggie left the town the hospital was in. She knew from her previous journeys to the hospital that after a stretch of woodland they would be in the town of the school, and almost half way there.

Unfortunately, the four wheeler chose then to sputter to a halt. "Aargh!" Maggie stood and, carefully not to drop him, draped Dai's arm over one of her shoulders. Holding his waist with one had and his arm with her other, Maggie began to trek forward.

The going was painfully slow and Maggie's legs began to shake after ten minutes. After fifteen her vision had begun to swim. The gun and medicine pack weighed heavily on one shoulder while her other was numb from Dai's weight.

Looking up she saw that she had almost reached the large town where the school was. Maggie went to take another step, but sunk to the ground instead. She was vaguely aware that her arm had started gushing blood again. She figured that couldn't be a good sign.

**So, i hope you enjoyed. Please please please give me feed back. good or bad i don't really care! I just need to know what you guys are thinking ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

**So, here's the next chap and its not even too late ;)**

**No Hal in this chapter but hang on, he'll be back soon i promise.**

**For now, enjoy!**

**And pretty pretty please? Reviews?**

I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you

It's hard to find relief and people can be so cold

When darkness is upon your door

And you feel like you can't take anymore…

-Crash and Burn by Savage Garden

Chapter 3 Tom

Tom paced the small room that was Captain Weaver's office at the school. Both his and Weaver's groups had returned about an hour ago. The agreed meeting time had been about two hours ago. The rest of the fighters had been dismissed after the medical supplies had been collected by Anne, but Tom and Weaver were still waiting for Hal to return along with Maggie and Dai.

"Tom," the captain began, but he was interrupted by the worried man.

"They should have been here by now!" Tom slapped his hand down on the desk where Weaver was sitting.

"Tom," Weaver tried again, more forcefully.

"I've got to go find him. They could have run into trouble." He straightened and turned to the door.

"Tom!" Weaver shouted. "You've have to at least take someone with you."

"Fine," Tom said pulling open the door. "I'll as Mike and Anthony." Without further ado, Tom Mason strode out the door. Captain Weaver just shook his head, uttering a muttered good luck under his breath.

00000 Maggie

As Maggie lay on the hard ground pinned beneath Dai's body she couldn't tell how long she had been there. Only that she had to move. But she was tired and her arm was sending a dull throb though her whole body.

Maggie was barely aware of the figures that were moving around her. She could hear their worried tones and harsh yells, but couldn't make sense of it. She groaned as a voice spoke close to her ear.

"Maggie," It said. "Maggie, stay with me. We're going to get you back to Anne, but you have to tell me, where's Hal. Is he hurt?"

Hal! He was, skitters, hospital- oh god, no! Maggie wanted to answer, but couldn't make her mouth respond. Furious at her weakness, she tried harder.

"The hospital." She got out. "Couldn't find 'im."

"He's still at the hospital?" The voice sounded anxious but Maggie was no longer able to answer.

00000 Tom

Tom stood. "Get her and Dai back to Anne. I'm going after Hal."

"Tom," Mike said. "You can't go alone."

"Yes, I can. And I have to. If these two don't get help they'll be in big trouble, but I'm not leaving Hal out there any longer. Go! I'll meet you back at the school" Tom saw that both men were about to argue so he simply turned and began to walk, knowing they wouldn't come after him.

Tom's mind wouldn't allow him to understand what he was seeing when he first arrived at the hospital. Because, there was no hospital. He only knew what used to be there based on the emergency vehicles left abandoned outside. He began running, narrowly avoiding tripping over the side walk.

There was nothing left of the main entrance but Tom headed towards the side door, knowing that's where Hal would have gone. Once there, Tom saw there was no hope of getting in. Instead he turned to the part of hospital that was the most intact. The door was hanging crookedly from what remained of its hinges but Tom wasn't worried about his own safety.

Entering, he saw that everything from the rocks to the bits of equipment and odd pieces of tile flooring were covered in a thick layer of dust. Tom could also see where someone, presumably Maggie, had left bloody finger print on the concrete. He drew in a sharp breath as he saw a skitter hand that was partly emerged.

Tom began to dig with no thought to his own safety. Multiples of times chunks of flooring from the second floor had narrowly missed falling on him. He had the skitter halfway emerged when he felt it, a piece of fabric. Pulling it loose, Tom saw it was his son's black jacket. Half filled with hope, half with dread, he continued.

The sky was dark, filled with mockingly bright stars, and his hands were torn and bloodied by the time Tom Mason finally gave in to grief. He fell to the ground in the rubble strewn entrance, clutching the filthy jacket. His body was wracked with sobs and his tears fell on the black fabric.

A good while later Tom took a long, shuddering breath, letting it out slowly before standing. He clenched Hal's jacket in one hand and his gun in the other. He walked slowly out of the ruined hospital and, stony faced, began the long trek back to the school.

00000

People moved out of the way as Tom Mason strode down the hall to the makeshift hospital room. He opened the door without knocking and let it swing closed behind him. Anne jumped up from the chair where she had been sitting in between Dai and Maggie, who were both still unconscious.

"Tom!" She said, but broke off upon seeing the jacket. "Is that-, oh my god!" She drew her hands up to her face.

There was an awkward silence as neither Anne nor Weaver who stood in off to one side made a move to speak. Finally, Tom stepped forward and motioned to the two figures lying on the beds.

"Will they be alright?"

"Yeah." Anne said her voice breaking. "Yes. Maggie's lost a lot of blood and Dai's got a fever, but they'll be fine."

Tom let out a long sigh and sank down into a chair. He put his head in his hands, which still held the jacket. A few minutes passed before the captain spoke.

"Tom," He said as gently as he could. "I need to know, what happened?"

Tom didn't answer at first, but replied slowly, "I don't know. I just don't know!" His voiced raised and Weaver wasn't willing to say anymore. Tom continued on his own. "I got there and there wasn't a hospital." He let out a sharp bark of laughter at Weaver's look of confusion. "I had been there, but now, now it's just a pile of rubble. I found this," He held up the jacket, "Next to the body of a skitter. Both were completely buried in rubble. I didn't, I couldn't find,"

"Oh Tom," Anne said sitting beside him. "Tom." She put an arm around his shoulders.

They sat in silence until excited voices echoed down the hall outside. Anne bit her lip. "Matt." She said.

Sure enough, Matt entered a moment later followed by Ben. Tom stood quickly, setting Hal's jacket on his chair as his two youngest sons embraced him.

"Dad!" Matt said, "Did you find the medicine? Did you get a lot? Were there any skitters?" The young boy looked up at his father, eyes wide.

Tom hesitated before saying, "Yeah, we got medicine and my group didn't see any skitters but," He was interrupted by Ben's worried voice.

"Is that Maggie?" He asked, having spotted the two patients. "And Dai?" He slowly turned to face his father. "Dad, where's Hal?"

Tom out an arm around both of his boys. "Ben," He began, then sighed. "Matt. The hospital Hal and Maggie and Dai went to was destroyed. We found Maggie and Dai on the road halfway back to the school. They wouldn't have left Hal behind unless they were forced to."

Matt stared up blankly but Ben was shaking his head. "No, no! We have to find him, he could be hurt, or trapped or lost or,"

"Ben, please." Tom said, voice breaking. "I looked. Oh god I looked. I found the skitter he must have been running from. It was buried beneath the rubble a few yards from a door, right next to this." Anne passed him the jacket without speaking. Ben and Matt just stared at the torn fabric, realization spreading across their faces.

"N-No, he promised. I made him promise! He can't die! He can't." Tears began spilling down his cheeks.

Anne stood. "We'll be outside." Captain Weaver followed her out the door.

00000 Maggie

"Its my fault. If I had gotten there sooner, or," Tom interrupted her.

"If you had gotten there sooner you'd be dead Maggie and we wouldn't have been able to save Dai."

Dai was still weak but he'd make it, thanks to Anne's careful care. Maggie looked at Tom's face.

"Its not your fault either." She said. "Don't you tell me I couldn't have done anything and then go blaming your self. Hal knew what he was getting into." Maggie sighed. "We all know what we're getting into. Life isn't easy and it sure as hell isn't fair, but you have to keep going, for Ben and for Matt, for the rest of the second mass."

Maggie turned to look out the window.


	4. Chapter 4

**Heres the next chap. Its from Ha's POV, finally! But i'm really not sure how well i got his character. if you think he's way too OOC let me know please. I'd love any suggestions and/or criticism you may have. **

**Enjoy!**

Yesterday I died, tomorrow's bleeding.

Fall into your sunlight.

The future's open wide, beyond believing.

To know why, hope dies.

Losing what was found, a world so hollow.

Suspended in a compromise.

The silence of this sound, is soon to follow.

Somehow, sundown.

-Shattered by Trading Yesterday

Chapter 4 Hal

Pain. That was the first thing he registered when he woke. His whole body was sore. Groaning, Hal tried to role over only to realize he was strapped onto a sort of metal table. He was freezing as well. Somehow he had managed to loose his jacket.

What had he been doing? The hospital, Maggie, Dai. He remembered running from a skitter and then, had the hospital collapsed? Hal drew in a sharp breath. No. He looked around as best he could. He was alone in a long, dark room.

"No. No, no, no." Hal struggled against his bonds. "No!" He shouted. He tried to move his arms but they were bound to his sides. Hal's mind was a storm of rage and fear, he didn't even notice the skitters until one of them tore the back of his shirt right down the middle. He froze more out of surprise than anything else.

The skitters, there were at least two of them, were communicating in a series of sounds that Hal couldn't even begin to describe. He had to clench his teeth to stop himself from yelling out as he felt a cold claw skim over his skin. As it was, he was so tense he was shaking.

Hal heard a mechanic sound above him mixed with the sound of something slightly wet coming down a slide. He began to fight again, knowing what was coming. He had seen what the harnesses did, before and after it had been removed. Mike had rescued his son Rick and of course, there was Karen. He wouldn't let himself be harnessed. He couldn't. Not only did he refuse to be turned into some mindless slave, but if the skitters got even a piece of the information he had the second mass would be in huge trouble.

Hal flinched as something cold landed on his back with a hard thump. He did his best to buck it off as a jabbing pain crept from his waist to his neck. "No!" He screamed but his voice was cut short as a numbing sense of calm over took him.

Hal could do nothing as a cloud covered his mind, separating him from his body. A new presence entered the space it used to occupy. The emotions and needs of hundreds of harnessed children and skitters over whelmed him.

The skitters removed the bindings and he stood, except, he was no longer an individual. He was part of a larger collective. They acted as one, they thought as one, they were one mind in the bodies of many.

Somewhere in the back of his mind Hal raged against the force suppressing him to no avail.

00000

They stood as one. Their work had begun. They lifted piece after piece of scrap metal. They didn't notice as their hands became covered in scratches and blisters that bled or as the hot sun beat down on their backs. They could feel the masters' instructions and desired nothing more than to please them.

Hal saw the world as if through eyes of someone else. His mind was drowning in the emotions of others. His body moved of its own accord, doing whatever it took to obey the masters. No, not masters, skitters.

Hal knew what was happening and tried to drop the piece of metal, to run, to fight, anything, but his body wouldn't respond. The minds around him picked up on his agitation and were trying to comfort him. Their soft caresses eased his confusion. Hal's body gave in to the peacefulness and stared blankly ahead as he worked.

00000

They had never felt as safe as when they slept beneath their protector. Distantly, Hal knew it was a skitter and that this whole situation was just plain wrong but he was having trouble separating his feelings from all of the others that enveloped him. It was comforting to know that he was no longer alone.

They knew time was passing but it had no meaning. They did not seem to age, they didn't feel pain, they didn't register death. They were in a constant state of limbo. There were not hundreds of individuals but One.

Hal could tell something strange was happening. The masters had been anxious. They demanded more of the children. Hal desperately wanted to know what was going on but had no control over his movements, and even his thoughts were not his own most of the time. He could feel the skitters sifting through his mind. They hadn't gotten any important information from him yet and he could only hope that if he avoided thinking… certain things, then the masters wouldn't be able to access them.

All of the children sat up from where they had been laying beneath their skitter. Pain and sorrow and anger entered their minds. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong and Hal knew the humans were behind it. They needed to be stopped. They deserved to die, they-

No. He couldn't afford to think like that. He couldn't start down that road, Hal didn't think he'd be able to come back. His body may have been taken but he refused to let Them have his mind as well.

The master placed a long fingered hand on Hal's head, sending comfort to him directly. Hal mentally flinched at the contact but could do nothing more. All of a sudden a storm of thoughts hit him. The masters were calling them. They were in danger. But they had a plan. Of course they did. The masters always had a plan.

00000

The children had been standing in the large room for hours. It was hot and stuffy and over crowded but none of them noticed. Hal was lost in the bliss of his siblings's feelings. It did not matter where he was or even who he was. He was safe and happy and he belonged.

Only two Masters were in the room with them but a stray thought caught his attention. It was soft and broken, but he understood fragments. "Humans… Second Mass… son… stronger than we thought… too soon… Mason… Keep them safe."

Hal froze, trying to reach the thoughts but they were swept away. Second mass, Mason, that meant something to him, didn't it? His name, what was it? Hal tried to clear his head but his memories were starting to get lost amongst all the others.

'No,' Hal whispered in his mind. 'I shouldn't be here. This is wrong.' Hal tried to think calm thoughts as one of the masters passed close behind him.

'Skitter.' The word popped unbidden into his mind. Hal would have sunk to the ground if he had been in control of his body. A flood of memories and emotions overpowered the foreign ones surrounding him.

'I am Hal Mason.' He thought. 'I was, am, a member of the second Massachusetts Militia Regiment. My father and brothers are, where were they?' Hal didn't know how much time had passed or what the masters had been up to. Masters. 'I have been harnessed. I have valuable information. I can't give it to them. My name is Hal Mason and I am a fighter.'

It was like living in a dream. No matter how hard he tried, reality just kept slipping away. Hal knew something was strange. He knew he was different from the other harnessed children. The masters had a special purpose for him and it filled him with joy. He was needed by the masters.

At the same time, he knew he was Hal Mason, and Hal was angered by the control the skitters had over him. He was also terrified, not for himself but for the people he had left behind in the second mass, the ones he couldn't quite remember anymore.

The days passed in a haze of working and waiting. The children would be working themselves to death, literally in some cases, one moment and then the masters would keep them penned in a room for days at a time. Nothing made sense and Hal was tired of it.

The masters gave him curious looks and the other children avoided him. They could sense his doubt and were scared he would ruin everything. Half of him agreed.

The other half of his mind was why he was in the situation he found himself in at the moment. He and the other five kids in his sibling group stood in a line, facing their master who stood with a mech on either side of him.

They had been instructed to bring six un-harnessed children to the harnessing facility. Hal had done his best to resist. Not that it had helped much. What was that show Ben, who was Ben? used to watch? Hal couldn't remember, but he did recall a specific line. 'Resistance it futile.' or something like that.

Resistance had most certainly been futile. All it had done was anger the master.

'You still fight us human child.' The master looked at Hal. 'We are most disappointed.'

He wanted to die, to fade out of sight. He had disappointed his master. He was engulfed in a wave of sorrow, his own feelings, and anger, from his siblings. He had let everyone down.

In the back of his mind he knew he was being irrational. It was the harness thinking this, not him, but he couldn't help it.

'This has gone on long enough. We wanted you to tell us what you knew of your own accord, but plans have changed. It is time for you to see that you belong to us now and failure is not an option.'

The two mechs pointed their lasers at him. Hal flinched knowing this was the end.

'No,' The master said and Hal thought he could sense regret and, love? coming from him.

Before Hal could probe any farther the mechs let out a round of shots. Hal watched all as of his sibling group fell to the ground. He felt no emotion, only a numbness that spread through his mind.

'You have yet to serve your purpose.' The master said. And the harnessed boy replied.

'Anything to help the collective.'

When the master patted his head, the boy was filled with ecstasy. He didn't notice the flicker of dissent hidden beneath the layers of harness emotion. No matter what they did to him, he would live. Hal would grow stronger. He refused to be silenced.

00000 Ben

It had been two, maybe three weeks since Hal's death. The rest of the Second Mass went about business as usual. His dad was out leading a patrol against the skitters. A large group of them had been found about fifteen minutes away and the fighters were slowly chipping away at their numbers.

Anne had taken to looking after Mat which left Ben alone for most of the time. Now he was sitting in their family's small living quarters at the school. On the table next to him rested Hal's favorite gun. He picked it up with a careful reverence. With Hal gone Ben was now the oldest child. It fell to him to protect his family.

Ben sighed at what his dad would think. He wouldn't understand. Ben had changed. He was no longer the innocent, happy go lucky kid he'd been when all of this started. He'd seen too much, done too much.

Ben had lost count of how many times he'd been mere moments away from death when someone had saved him. His dad, Hal, Weaver, countless others, even Jimmy had protected him.

No longer. Ben decided. If Hal had been able to protect the Second Mass, knowing the risks he was taking, then so could he. Ben would no longer be some helpless civi.


End file.
